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Two or possible Austin minis were covered with old pennies in 1967 and used to promote the Beatles record Penny Lane.

The 1960’s conjure up images of flower power, hippies, mini skirts and the birth of pop music. The iconic car was the Austin mini designed by Alec Issigonis and the Beatles were undoubtedly the biggest group of my teenage years.

In 1967 the John Lennon and Paul McCartney single “Penny Lane” was recorded during the Sergeant Pepper session and released with Strawberry Fields forever as part as a double A side. Penny Fields was the area of Liverpool where the Beatles grew up which was named after an 18th century slave owner James Penny.

The early purple orchid is one of the first orchids to appear each Spring in an English ancient woodland. It has about fifty small flowers which are arranged in a cone shaped cluster on a tall spike. Like many orchids it has a rather unpleasant smell. The leaves are very distinctive with dark blotches which some people think look like dried blood. An old name for the plant was dead men’s fingers. Continue reading “Early purple orchid at Folly farm”

Here in Britain the country is going into full panic mode with the corona virus scare. When I went to the supermarket this morning I noticed a lot of empty shelves. So it is good to know that many of the plants in our woodlands are edible and can be very tasty. A couple of weeks ago I went on a plant foraging walk in our local nature reserve and the leader Steve England introduced us to several plants that were safe to eat or had other uses such as making string or home remedies. Wild garlic is particularly easy to distinguish because of its distinctive pungent smell.

The Royal Horticultural Society holds a series of flower shows through out the year including the world famous Chelsea flower show. The season starts in April with the Cardiff flower show. It is always held in Bute Park next to Cardiff Castle. This year, Corona virus permitting it will take place between the 17th and 20th of April. The early date gives visitors a chance to buy bulbs and other plants for the summer.

Last year we decided to visit Tintern Abbey a ruined Cistercian abbey that sits high above the river wye, the river that divides South Wales from England. The abbey was built in the gothic style between 1361 and 1550 and the monks grew rich from the profits of the wool trade. It was dissolved by Henry VIII but the fact that so much survives is a tribute to the skill of the early builders. Continue reading “A Falconry display at Tintern Abbey”

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About the author

I am Anne a retired nurse from Fishponds, Bristol. I am married with five children, two grandchildren and two cats. I love exploring my local area and hope to share some of my favourite places with you.